Three former patients gave statements during Cruciani’s hearing, including one who described the doctor hugging and kissing her during a visit to relieve her pain from spinal stenosis and related ailments. “He’s a monster,” she told the court.

Dаvіd Mіng Pоn, Lееsburg, Flоrіdа

Federal prosecutors had sought at least 40 years in prison for Pon, 59, and described his behavior as “evil.” Federal prosecutors and other doctors had recommended greater prison time for Pon because of his treatment of more than 500 elderly patients. Pon falsely told the patients they had wet age-related macular degeneration and that they would go blind without laser treatment. He then faked the treatments and billed Medicare.

Sabit owned and operated the Michigan Brain and Spine Physicians Group, and admitted he derived significant profits by convincing patients to undergo spinal fusion surgeries using medical devices to stabilize and strengthen the spine.

Gelder was a physician for Lake Michigan Mobile Doctors. He admitted he saw patients who did not qualify for his services and billed Medicare at the highest billing codes, according to the Justice Department.

All are facing criminal charges for their roles in submitting false insurance claims between 2003 and 2015 to defraud Medicaid, Medicare and other private health insurance companies. Prosecutors said the defendants provided false medical information and used the identities of doctors who did not work at the clinic to submit fraudulent claims. The defendants are charged with healthcare fraud, identity theft and making false statements.

Аbdul Hаq, Ypsіlаntі, Mіchіgаn

As part of his guilty plea, Haq admitted that he conspired with the owner of the Tri-County Network, Mashiyat Rashid and his co-defendants to prescribe medically unnecessary controlled substances to Medicare patients, many of whom were addicted to narcotics, prosecutors said.

Еugеnе Gоsy, Clаrеncе, Nеw Yоrk

Gosy was indicted last month and charged in the deaths of six patients who overdosed on opioids. A DEA agent said the agency was sending a "message" to "rogue doctors."

A federal grand jury returned a 166-count superseding indictment charging Gosy, 56, of Clarence, New York, with a long list of crimes, including one count of conspiring to distribute and dispense narcotics resulting in the death of six of his patients.

If convicted, the doctor, whose pain clinic at one time prescribed more prescriptions for controlled substances than any hospital in the state, according to prosecutors, could face life in prison.